The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-18

light within which the spirits, dressed
In the iTidescent colors OF the rainbow,
awaited impatiently their journey to
the sun.
III AZTEC HEAVEN.
The queerest belief OF that strange
race showed their land OF promise in
the South Q a the sun, where the
body Of the dead became a flower,
sending forth the most delightful OF
perfumes and 1oated forever on rose
tinted clouds around the sun, until,
when the day Of judgment came, aud
and with 1t the desolation Of all earth
ly things, they would merge into the
sur itself and become a part OF its re-
~fulgeDce. This tableau represented
the central figure, the sun, as a mass
Of fire, from which shot tongues OF
filme. Around it 1)sted the clouds
Of every shape and form, bearing on
them hundreds Of bright and beautiful
blossoms. .
HURAKKN, H GOD OF STORMS AND
LIGHTNING,
realized the Quecha legend, one OF the
most beautiful of Indian myths. On
the top of a thunder cloud black as
night rode the three Hurakens, the
trinity OF the storm, the lightning, the
thunder, and the bolt which carried
with it death. Snakelike, fearless, the
Lightning played through the black
cloud, which served as their steed,
while behind them hoated the rain
bow, their promise that the storm was
over. The next float gave r picture
OF that
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
which restored life and youth to those
who drank OF its waters; to find which
Ponce de Leon travelled through Flor
ida, DeSoto tramped his weary
march through the south, camped on
the bluff at Memphis, and fually was
buried beneath the waters of the great
river he discovered. The tableau was
n Of the richest In colors in the en-
tire procession. The foutt4in lay in
the midst OF a land OF flowers, hor-
dered with tall trees filled with birds
OF beautiful plumsge. The fountain
itself gushed fism a rocky cliff, and
fell into a a sunlit golden tinted basin.
Here were gathered the old, the heg-
gard and the feeble, drinking of the
golden waters, which seemed to re-
vive at once their strength, youth aud
spirit. The final tsbleau represented
II LAND on MAEoA, OR I'll DORADO,
the golden land which the Spanish
conquerers attempted 30 many times
to fad. La this land the trees them
selves were OF silver, their leaves of
pure gold, their Towers and fruits of
precious stones. Caverns, too, we're
there of gold and silver and diamonds;
fountains of dazzling water that
changed to gems rs It fell. All this
the scene fully represented, the silver
and golden trees with jeweled fruit,
the grottos Of precious metals, the
fountains OF diamoAde and rubies. As
THE PRooEs ZION FILED DOWN CANAL
rapturous applause broke out
along it's liue, and ladies from the gal
leries above waved their handkerchief
in token that they were pleased with
1t. The procession was recognized as
one of the best the knights of Momus,
indeed, any OF the carnival socie.
ties had ever given here. And special
praise was rendered on the floats rep
resenting the Fountain OF Youth, FL
Dorado, the Great White Rabbit in
his palace of ice and the Aztec heaven
flowers.
After marching Through Canal, st,
Charles and Camp streets the process
sion stopped at the French opera. This
had been appropriately decorated for
the occasion, converted into an i'm.
mense ballroom, one of the largest in
the city. Here several tableaux were
the makers marched around,
after which Menus opened the ball
and dancing became general.